Crystalline Material Container

Abstract

A crystalline material container with a bracket that has a first open position and a second closed position that enables the crystalline material container to be open when the bracket is in the first position and closed when the bracket is in the second position, where the crystalline material container can hold salt, sugar, spices or other crystalline or ground materials.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority and incorporates by reference the provisional patent application, Ser. No. 60/967,218, filed on Aug. 31, 2007, titled “CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL CONTAINER” by Dennis Hawkins Hanson.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and spices (which may be ground material) are made packaged in single use containers made out of paper or reusable metal, plastic, or glass shakers. The single use containers are wasteful of resource and costly to manufacture when compared to a reusable container. Shakers are convenient for use at a table, but are not easily transportable because they typically do not have covers. Neither shakers nor single use packaging are designed to be carried in a pocket or easily attached to or placed in a serving container, such as a plate, bowl, or tub.

Therefore, there is a need for an approach to construct a reusable crystalline material container that can be easily carried or attached to a plate, bowl, or tub.

SUMMARY

An elongated tubular shaped container that is able to store crystalline materials, such as salt, sugar, or spices that has a closure device that enables the elongated tubular shaped container to be closed and opened by movement of a bracket.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an example implementation of a crystalline material container.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a closure device located on the crystalline material container of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a top view of a bracket located on the crystalline material container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a tubular cylinder used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and or spices with a cylinder shaped cap with molded wire to serve as a closer bracket when inserted into hollow cylinder style tube.

FIG. 5 is a tubular cylinder used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and spices with perforations or other openings to allow for shaker or pouring type dispensing of contents sealed with a removable safety tape.

FIG. 6 is a 1½″ min. long wire molded into a solid cylinder stopper. When inserted and affixed using glue and then inserted into a hollow cylinder made of paper or plastic that would act as a bracket when folded.

FIG. 7 is a flat bracket molded top made of paper or plastic affixed to a thin wire inserted in to the top of a hollow cylinder tube.

FIG. 8 is a tubular cylinder used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and or spices made of paper or plastic with a wire bracket molded in or on the tubular cylinder with the tubular cylinder in closed position.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of elongated hole in or near the top of the tubular cylinder.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of perforated tape that may be placed over the open top of the tubular cylinder.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of safety tape/seal that is removable that covers the perforated tape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An approach for a crystalline material container 102 that is reusable and resealable is being described. In FIG. 1, a side view 100 of an example implementation of a crystalline material container (CMC) 102 is shown. The CMC 102 may be shaped as a cylinder, or have straight edges. The width of the opening of the CMC 102 is less than the length of the CMC 102. One end of the CMC 102 is formed being closed or is closed via mechanical means, including glue, melting, clips, sewing. Located approximately one inch below the open end of the CMC 102 is a bracket 104 for closing the CMC 102.

The bracket 104 may be made out of metal, plastic, or similar stiff materials that can hold the top of the CMC 102 bent 180 degrees to close the open end of the CMC 102. The bracket 104 on a securing end may be secured to the CMC 102 with glue, tape 106, or other binding material. The bracket 104 has a first open position with the CMC 102 open end in an open position and a second secured position where the bracket 104 causes the CMC 102 to be bent 180 degrees and secured in a closed position. The securing of the bracket 104 may be accomplished by the elasticity of the bracket 104 having enough force to hold the open end of the CMC closed or a latch may be placed on the bracket 104 to keep it in the second position.

In FIG. 2, a side view 200 of the bracket 104 located on the crystalline material container 102 of FIG. 1 is shown. The bracket 104 may be generally “d” in shape with the open ends of the “d” secured to the CMC 102. In the body of the bracket 104, coils may be used to add extra tension to the “d” in order for it to keep the CMC 102 open end closed. FIG. 3 is a top view 300 of the bracket 104 of FIG. 1.

Turning to FIG. 4, a tubular cylinder 402 used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and or spices having a cylinder shaped cap or stopper 404 with a molded wire flexible bracket 406 to serve as a closer bracket when inserted into hollow cylinder style tube, such as tubular cylinder 402. The tubular cylinder 402 may be other elongated hollow shapes that can be sealed at one end and accept a cap at the other end (or be resealable). A molded solid cylinder stopper 404 with flexible bracket 406 may be placed in one end of the tubular cylinder 402 with the other end of the tubular cylinder be closed or sealed. The molded solid cylinder stopper 404 may be made from plastic, glass, metal, ceramics, paper, cardboard, wax, or a combination of any of plastic, glass, metal, ceramics, paper, cardboard, wax. The flexible bracket 406 may be made of metal, plastic, or other materials that and maintain the cylinder stopper in a first position (closed) and allow it to be moved to a second position (open). The other end of the cylinder stopper may be molded as a solid piece, secured multiple pieces, or sealed with glue, tape, heat bonding, and/or stitching to give but a few examples.

In FIG. 5 a tubular cylinder 402 used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and spices with a molded stopper 404 having a flexible bracket 502 that contains more than one perforation 506 or other openings to allow for shaker or pouring type dispensing of contents. The molded stopper 404 may be sealed with a removable safety tape. The tubular cylinder 402 may have perforations or similar pouring openings. The pouring openings are formed or cut into the tubular cylinder 402 above where the bend would occur if the flexible bracket 502 is in the closed position. In other implementations, the top cap or stopper 404 may be formed such that the cap is elongated into the tubular cylinder and contains pouring holes that match up with the pouring holes in the tubular cylinder 402 when the cap is pulled up. In other implementations, the holes may line up upon pushing down on the cap or stopper 404 where a spring type device maintains the cap in the closed position. The top cap or stopper 404 may have holes that line up with the holes in the tubular cylinder when the cap is rotated in yet another implementation.

Turning to FIG. 6, a 1½″ min. long flexible bracket 406, such as a wire molded into a solid or semisolid cylinder stopper 404 is shown. When inserted and affixed using glue, shrink wrap, heat bonding, or friction and then inserted into a hollow cylinder made of paper or plastic that would act as a bracket when folded.

In FIG. 7, a flat bracket 702 molded or formed to make a top made of but not limited to, paper or plastic may be affixed to a wire 704 is shown. The wire 704 may be 1½″ long which when inserted in to the top of a hollow cylinder tube may be affixed by heat, glue or pressure and then may act as a closure bracket. Unlike FIG. 6 which was a solid shape stopper 404 that matched the cylinder, the stopper 702 has a flat shape and the opening of the cylinder tube is closed and secured to the flat shaped formed top.

Turning to FIG. 8, a tubular cylinder 802 used to contain crystalline materials such as salt, sugar, and or spices made of paper or plastic with a wire bracket 804 molded in or on the tubular cylinder with the tubular cylinder 802 in closed position is shown. The other end of the tubular cylinder is sealed and the top end of the tubular cylinder may be maintained in a closed position or an open position by the flexible bracket.

In FIG. 9, a diagram of elongated hole in or near the top of the tubular cylinder 902 is shown. The tubular cylinder 902 may have a hole or opening at the top or near the top of the tubular cylinder that is sealed with perforated tape. In FIG. 10, a diagram of perforated tape 1002 that may be placed over the open top of the tubular cylinder. In FIG. 11, a diagram of safety tape/seal 1102 that is removable that covers the perforated tape is shown.

The foregoing description of an implementation has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimed inventions to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the invention. For example, the described implementation includes software but the invention may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software or in hardware alone. Note also that the implementation may vary between systems. The claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A crystalline material container, comprising:

an elongated body that has an open end and a closed end;

a bracket secured to the elongated body near the open end and the bracket has a first position and a second position, where the second position closes the open end of the elongated body.

2. The crystalline material container of claim 1, where the bracket is made of wire.

3. The crystalline material container of claim 2, where the wire forms at least one spring that is bendable and able to maintain force in the second position against the elongated body.

4. The crystalline material container of claim 1, where the bracket is secured to the elongated body with tape.

5. The crystalline material container of claim 1, where the bracket is secured to the elongated body with a stopper.

6. The crystalline material container of claim 5, where the wire is affixed to the stopper.

7. The crystalline material container of claim 6, where the wire affixed to the stopper rests in the inside of the elongated body.

8. The crystalline material container of claim 5, where the bracket is formed with more than one hole.

9. The crystalline material container of claim 8, where at least one hole of the more than one hole aligns with at least one hole in the elongated body.

10. The crystalline material container of claim 1, where the bracket is secured directly to the elongated body.

11. The crystalline material container of claim 10, where the bracket resides totally within the elongated body.

12. The crystalline material container of claim 10, where the bracket is secured in the closed position with security tape.